Not Quite As Is Jan. 13, 2017

As Was
by Black Anvil

The Pitch: New York modern progressive black metal band delivers 50 minutes of dark, atmospheric music. What I Like: The clean vocals have an interesting vibe that provides a nice counterpoint to the grim growls. Some of these tracks have a vague Enslaved vibe flowing through the background. The at...

Two Enormous Tracks Jan. 13, 2017

Rite of Inverse Incarnation
by Fides Inversa

The Pitch: Italian black metal duo-now-quartet Fides Inversa continue to prove the worth of the short EP with two crushing new songs better than most full length albums. What I Like: This band is another group to fall under what I usually classify as the "German blackened death metal sound" found i...

Textures and Cambria Jan. 13, 2017

Enigma Infinite
by Memories in Broken Glass

The Pitch: Texas-based progressive metal that channels both Textures and Coheed Cambria. What I Like: Takes soaring CC vocals and djentify it with the sounds of Textures and you'd get Memories in Broken Glass. It's hard to find high pitched clean vocals that don't come off as whiny and lame, but t...

Vikingligr Veldi II Jan. 12, 2017

Black Harmony
by Thyrane

The Pitch: Reissue of fantastic '97 demo recording from kvlt Finnish black/symphonic blackmetal band Thyrane. What I Like: This is another fine example of what a "tr00" black metal band should sound like. The production is gritty, but still highlights the band's strengths. The vocals are the defini...

Dripping With Attitude Jan. 12, 2017

The Haunting Fear of Inevitability
by The Drip

The Pitch: Fusing the rawest elements of crust,powerviolence, d-beat, and grind, Washington'sThe Drip is produced by Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaustand mastered by Brad Boatright (Skeletonwitch, Gatecreeper, Weekend Nachos) What I Like: This is some pummeling s@#t. You can really hear the hardcore/po...

Full of Emptiness Jan. 11, 2017

Not For Music
by Emptiness

The Pitch: Belgian's premiere blackened death, and often experimental,metal band Emptiness return with a new album via Season of Mist after blowing minds with Nothing But The Whole. Produced by none other than Jeordie White (Marilyn Manson, NIN). FFO original-ass music. What I Like: I never cease t...

Autocatalytic Asphyxiation Jan. 11, 2017

Vicissitudes
by Autocatalytica

The Pitch: Crazy mathcore meets jazz-infused progressive music and avant-garde with thisOntario project. FFO TorrentialDownpour,Sikth, The Fall of Troy What I Like: There is so much going on here, it's hard to know where to begin. From the opening track, "Mondoslam," you get a pretty good summary o...

Both Weightless and Heavy Jan. 11, 2017

Moonbearer
by The Drowned God

The Pitch: Lansdale, Pennsylvania's purveyers of post-hardcore The Drowned God return withone hell of adebut full length album. What I Like: The band continues to bring that dark, ominous atmosphere that strikes me as different from many of the other popular bands in the genre. Touche Amore come to...

West Coast Extreme Prog Jan. 10, 2017

Burials/Exhausted Prayer Split
by Burials/Exhausted Prayer

The Pitch: Portland, Oregon's Burials and Los Angeles, CA natives Exhausted Prayer join forces to bring the best and brightest of the West Coast extreme progressive scene. What I Like: As some of you may know, I recently caught Burials at the Ulcerate show at The Raven. I'm not sure if it was the s...

Mothman Takes Flight Jan. 10, 2017

Answers To No One
by Mothman

The Pitch: Texasproject brings mathcore and grind in the vein of bands like Ed Gein. What I Like: This is some of that purely chaotic stuff with barks on par with Calculating Infinity or The Armed with some death growls thrown in for good measure. It's so noisy that it may take your ears a moment t...

Icelandic Invasion Jan. 9, 2017

Volaoa Land
by Draugsol

The Pitch: Signal Rexdelivers the debut album from Iceland's latestblack and death metal band,Draugsl. The country that brought us Zhrine is far from finished with us. What I Like: Power and presence. These tormentors have it in spades. If you ever wondered what Ethan McCarthy (Primitive Man, Vermi...

These Arms are Arms Jan. 9, 2017

BLACKOUT
by Arms

The Pitch: Name your price for pure, unrelenting, aggressive mathcore from Florida. What I Like: Once again, Mathcore Index let's me know what's up on something I almost missed last year. Ranked among their favorites of 2016, BLACKOUT is everything I love about this genre. It's loud, it sounds angr...

Rise Up Jan. 6, 2017

Uprising
by Uprising

The Pitch: Tridroid Records issues the debut release from German black metal project Uprising. "There is no bio information and none will be given if requested. The band solely wants to be known for their music and nothing else."FFO Immortal, Gorgoroth, Inquisition. What I Like: "Uprise" is a magni...

Sometimes The Masses Are Right Jan. 5, 2017

Terminal Redux
by Vektor

The Pitch: Philly Sci Fi,blackened, progressive thrash outfit Vektor dropped this beast back in May, I finally get around to reviewing it. What I Like: The guitars own this album. I adore the fusion of thrash speed and tone with the wonky, proggy arrangements. It sounds like Absu channeled through ...

Drum Bass and Strings Jan. 5, 2017

Lynch
by Le Maschere Di Clara

The Pitch: Groovy drum and bass meet strings ona short but sweet release from this uniqueVerona band. "Taking inspiration from the classical counterpoint, screening the emotionality of the progressive polyrhythm, developing the union between the arid sonority of the stoner and the Italian poetics, t...

No One Expects The Spanish Inquisition! Jan. 4, 2017

Upheaval
by Bloodrainbow

The Pitch: Hungarian melodic death metal featuring some epic Spanish guitar and horns. What I Like: The horn arrangments are spectacular. It's not the first time I have heard wind and/or brass instrumentsin metal, but Bloodrainbow have taken things in a different direction. This is like melodeath f...

Horse the other band Jan. 4, 2017

Horse​/​Bisect Split
by Horse/Bisect

The Pitch: Two gritty bands from Cork, Ireland face off on this 4-song split between Horse and Bisect. What I Like: More grungy, 90's ethos for us all on this one. Both bands have remnants of punk music in their veins, but the delivery is more in line with Nirvana's Bleach meets heavier bands like ...

MILF, GILF,...ZILF? Jan. 3, 2017

PrEPare YourZILF
by Zilf

The Pitch: "Pop-Sludge duo from an origin unknown..." UK experimental mathcore. What I Like: Biz-onkers. I was experiencing a bit of a drought with the holidays approaching in terms of releases that really turned my head. As such, Zilf nearly snapped my neck when I pressed play. True to the trippy ...

Always Be Evolving Jan. 2, 2017

Evolve
by Howling in the Fog

The Pitch: Italian one-man progressive post-black metal project that lives up to its album name. FFO Enslaved, Opeth, Beautality. What I Like: Evolve really does feel like a fitting title; it is the wordthat most aptlydescribes the music. Howling in the Fog is never content with staying in one plac...

Doom From The Irish Fog Dec. 30, 2016

At This Great Depth
by Soothsayer

The Pitch: Ireland continues to prove its worth to the extreme metal lexicon with sophomore album from doom metallers Soothsayer. What I Like: Highly atmospheric and emotive. Rather than feeling like I'm trudging through endless sustains, Soothesayer really harness melody and reign it like a demoni...

Page 174 of 211 NEXT